(WSYM) — A potential instructor strike looms at Oakland University as the faculty contract is set to expire tonight at 11:59 pm.
Most of the more than 800 faculty members have raised concerns about the university aiming to significantly lower compensation.
One of the biggest reasons behind the dispute is the union’s proposal to increase total faculty compensation by 10%, to which the president of the American Association of University Professors, Karen Miller disagrees.
“When we first started putting money across the table, it would have been about a 3% increase, which is not 10% I have no idea where they got that number from,” Miller said.
OU officials say the raise is untenable because the university has registered an 8% drop in enrollment, equaling a $17 million shortfall.
But according to Miller, OU’s July bank statement shows the institution to be in sound financial shape and the construction on campus is going ahead as planned as well as there are no signs of administrators taking a pay cut.
As of now, both sides are hopeful that a positive outcome will be reached very soon, even if the negotiations must continue till the early morning hours.
